Offshore Ishikari City in Hokkaido is a Promising Zone. The first statutory council met on 6 February 2026, starting formal talks toward designation. Eleven EIA primary documents have been filed, the most of any Promising Zone. A Promising Zone is a candidate for designation that the government discusses in detail through a statutory council. Once the council agrees its opinion, the zone can move to Promotion Zone designation.
This page tracks where the zone stands in the process and what gets decided next, using primary sources. It is updated monthly.
1. Where Ishikari Stands (October 2026)
| Status | Promising Zone |
|---|---|
| Foundation | Fixed-bottom expected |
| Council | 1st meeting held (6 February 2026) |
| EIA | Eleven primary documents |
| Next steps | Council talks and a consolidated opinion |
2. Toward Designation: Timeline
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Feb 2026 | 1st statutory council, the forum where national and local government, municipalities and fishers agree how the area is used (Sapporo) | Hokkaido Government |
3. EIA Status: Eleven Primary Documents
Japan’s environmental impact assessment runs in four stages: a primary document, a scoping document, a draft report with survey and prediction results, and a final report. Eleven primary documents cover Ishikari, all at the first stage. The Ishikari Bay New Port wind farm, which operates inside the port area, is a separate project.
| Project | Developer | Stage | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ishikari offshore wind (provisional) | Sumitomo Corporation | Primary document | 2023/10 |
| Ishikari offshore wind (provisional) | Kansai Electric Power | Primary document | 2023/02 |
| Ishikari offshore wind (provisional) | Ishikari Bay Offshore Wind GK | Primary document | 2022/04 |
| Ishikari offshore wind (provisional) | Japan Wind Development | Primary document | 2022/02 |
| Ishikari offshore wind (provisional) | Marubeni | Primary document | 2021/02 |
| Ishikari offshore wind (provisional) | Japan Renewable Energy | Primary document | 2020/11 |
| Ishikari offshore wind (provisional) | Green Power Investment | Primary document | 2020/11 |
| Ishikari offshore wind (provisional) | JERA | Primary document | 2020/08 |
| Ishikari offshore wind (provisional) | CI Hokkaido GK | Primary document | 2020/07 |
| Ishikari offshore wind (provisional) | Ishikari Bay Offshore Wind GK | Primary document | 2020/07 |
| Ishikari offshore wind (provisional) | Cosmo Eco Power | Primary document | 2019/08 |
4. Site Conditions
The Promising Zone covers water 20m to 50m deep. Ishikari Bay New Port, close to the zone, is the expected port.
For a cost comparison with other zones on the same assumptions, see 👉 Promising Offshore Wind Zones in Japan: LCOE and IRR.
What to Watch Next
- The second and later council meetings, which will set the pace toward designation.
- The council’s consolidated opinion. Once conditions on fisheries and local benefits are agreed, the zone can move to designation.
- The annual zone review. The government reviews and publishes Promotion, Promising and Preparation Zones each year (last on 3 October 2025).
Related DeepWind Articles
- Japan’s Offshore Wind Promising Zones
- Japan’s Offshore Wind Promotion Zones: A Complete Project List
- Hokkaido Offshore Wind Supply Chain: 27 Firms Mapped
Free reportWhich of April’s planning assumptions no longer hold? Our 17-page review of Japan’s offshore wind market, April to September 2026. Free when you subscribe to the Weekly. See what’s inside →